This invention is directed to a system and method for automated accounting of document generating device usage. More particularly, this invention is directed to a system and method for periodically receiving usage data of a document generating device or multifunctional peripheral.
In order to reduce operational costs, small businesses will outsource copying, printing, scanning, and facsimile services to printing businesses or similar types of establishments. Further, corporations will typically share document generating devices or multifunctional peripherals among different departments. Document generating devices or multifunctional peripherals are therefore equipped with accounting features and systems to report different customer or department usage information. Such systems typically consist of an accounting database and a set of counters as known in the art associated with each account. Any operation performed on the document generating device or multifunctional peripheral, such as copying, printing, or scanning, is charged under a different account increasing the counter associated with the account by one.
Accounting administrators may obtain reports of usage per account. Currently, the accounting administrator must obtain the information directly from the document generating device in order for the customer or department to be billed. The accounting administrator must physically access the document generating device on a regular basis to obtain the usage data needed to properly bill the customer or department.
It is desirable to have a system and method for automated accounting of document generating device usage.